Ferrari accused of missing chance to recreate Schumacher dream team

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Ferrari bosses missed a chance to recreate Michael Schumacher’s title-winning environment for Charles Leclerc, according to Karun Chandhok. The Sky Sports F1 pundit has claimed Ferrari “didn’t need a reinvention” after Mattia Binotto was replaced as team boss by Frederic Vasseur.

Instead, he feels the pair could have worked alongside each other in a similar way Ross Brawn and Jean Todt joined forces at the Scuderia.

The partnership was behind Prancing Horse’s most successful period as they picked up five back-to-back Drivers’ Championships with Schumacher between 2000 and 2004.

However, Binotto’s three decades of experience at the Italian marque was ditched as the team went in a new direction following strategy turmoil last season. Chandhok told the Sky Sports F1 Vodcast: “Strategically there was a whole litany of errors. But actually it didn’t need a reinvention.

“I think having Fred Vasseur work alongside Mattia Binotto could have been the Jean Todt / Ross Brawn remake from the 1990s and the early 2000s which was very successful.

He added: “Ferrari are different. You need someone like Binotto who has been there for 30 years and understands the deep cultural mindset of that team. I feel they are actually going to feel his loss there.”

Binotto left his role as team principal after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a season to forget for Ferrari. The Italian squad had looked capable of challenging for the title before a range of mechanical failures and key strategy errors undid their progress.

Former Alfa Romeo boss Vasseur took on the role but is yet to tear up the rulebook. He has refused to issue driver orders until later on in the campaign while he has made only minor tweaks behind the scenes.

However, Vasseur has moved strategy director Inakl Rueda to a factory role while Ravin Jain takes over on the pitwall.

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Fellow Sky Sports pundit Ted Kravitz also stressed Binotto could be a major loss for Ferrari. He added: “What stopped it? Male pride and ego? Or just pride and ego? Binotto wouldn’t have wanted to have be demoted?

“Were it not for male pride and ego, couldn’t Binotto have accepted staying on but in some kind of technical leadership role with a general manager, Fred Vasseur, coming in on top of him. It would have been a good thing because Binotto deserves some credit but maybe he wouldn’t have accepted now reporting to somebody else.”

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